IDW Micro-Series
IDW Publishing is publishing a separate comic book series entitled My Little Pony Micro-Series. The first six issues each center on one of the main six characters, and at least four more issues are planned, including the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Twilight Sparkle The comic opens up in Canterlot, where Spike asks Twilight Sparkle if she's nervous about her test, and when she wonders what makes him say that, he mentions the fact that she's chewing her mane, in addition to the fact that they've been standing at the top of a set of stairs for half an hour. She admits to being nervous, and Spike reminds her that she shouldn't be late, so she rushes off to the castle. When they reach the castle, Princess Celestia informs them that there has been a change of plans, as the Royal Archivist, a pony named Summer Mane, had a fall, and so is having difficulty getting around. Celestia then mentions that she plans on postponing Twilight's test in order for Twilight to go and help Summer Mane, to which Twilight gladly accepts. Spike attempts to leave along with Twilight, but Celestia informs her that Twilight needs to take this on by herself. At the Royal Archive, Twilight gets a rude reception from Summer Mane, who states that she doesn't want any help. Twilight is finally let in when she lies about Summer Mane being replaced if she doesn't let Twilight in. Summer Mane proceeds to lay down the ground rules, the last, most emphasized of which is that Twilight is to never enter Summer Mane's private office. Summer Mane is skeptical of Twilight's book knowledge at first, but is eventually convinced. Twilight also mentions that her favorite book is called "Canter in the Sky", written by her favorite author, Jade Singer, who disappeared after the release of that book. In the morning, Summer Mane goes to wake Twilight, but finds her already in the library. She has Twilight get started on shelving the books, in alphabetical order, library style. Later on, during a meal, Twilight struggles to get a question out, before Summer Mane asks her what she's reading. Later, Summer Mane has Twilight put dust covers on books, and when Twilight starts singing a song to herself, Summer Mane objects to it, and puts on swing music, which she insists is "good stuff". At a later time, during a meal, Twilight and Summer Mane discuss typewriters, with Summer Mane mention that some authors are very picky about theirs. Twilight asks Summer Mane if she knows what typewriter Jade Singer used, and Summer Mane replies that she thinks Jade used an old "lipponzoner" model. Over a period of time, Twilight and Summer Mane discover themselves to be kindred spirits when it comes to literature: both get lost in books occasionally when they're trying to re-shelve them, and they have a discussion about literature over dinner. The next morning, Twilight discovers Summer Mane left for town to get them a pie, and the letter that tells her this also details her assignment. However, Twilight notices Summer Mane's office door is slightly ajar, and so she decides to peek in. Summer Mane walks in at that moment, however, as she had forgotten her checkbook. During the next meal, neither one of them can say anything to the other, until Summer Mane tells Twilight to pack her things, as she leaves in the morning. As she is leaving the next morning, Twilight reveals to Summer Mane that she made the replacement story up so that Summer Mane would let her in. Summer Mane laughs, as she explains that was how she got her first job as assistant editor. Summer Mane then reveals to Twilight that she's actually Jade Singer, but Twilight replies that she figured that out a few days ago. When Jade asks her how, Twilight replies that since Jade is her favorite author, she knows all about her. She noticed the reading glasses from the author photo on the back of Canter in the Sky, how Jade and Summer are both fans of "horrible, horrible" old time swing music, that cutie marks don't smear unless they're made to look like something else, and the typewriter was the final clue. Jade reveals her reason for going into hiding: Canter in the Sky was such a huge hit her first time around, that it was such a hit right out of the gate, that it would be nearly impossible to live up to that a second time. Twilight responds that she can sympathize, as when she tested for magic school, she made such a splash that the princess took her on as her personal student. Jade asks her how she does it, and Twilight replies that her friends support her: they celebrate her victories and catch her when she falls. Jade says that she never had friends like that, to which Twilight replies that she does now. A little while later, Twilight gets the results of her test back, showing she passed, as well as containing a note from the princess, thanking her for bringing her friend, Jade Singer, back. Rainbow Dash Whilst doing a Sonic Rainboom, Rainbow Dash flies too fast and slams into a storm-cloud. When inside the cloud, the Cloud Gremlins taunt her, never revealing themselves, and delight in making her miserable. They throw balls of snow or cloud at her, before the smaller Gremlin's face appears in the cloud as a stormy apparition. The face threatens and mocks her, and they throw her off the cloud. Spitfire catches her. The Gremlins block out the sun with their cloud for weeks, making all the inhabitants of Ponyville unhappy. The Gremlins watch Rainbow from their cloud home. After talking with Applejack, Rainbow flies back up to the cloud to confront the Gremlins, who taunt her more. The smaller Gremlin leaps off the cloud and attacks Rainbow's face, and they fall through the air, before he throws Rainbow Dash back down to the ground. Rainbow flies back up to the cloud as the Gremlins make a red lightning bolt, and ties up the cloud with a rope, which only makes it bigger and stronger. They turn the rope into a black, gooey substance, and attack Rainbow Dash with it, sending her back to the ground. She then leaves, with a plan. The Gremlins watch as she does another Sonic Rainboom, which becomes a Sonic Double Rainboom. This cheers up the citizens of Ponyville, and the sudden positivity causes the Gremlin's cloud to explode into rainbows, throwing them away into the sky. Rarity "Rarity is in need of some well-deserved R & R after working hard on her new fashion line. A sweet spa retreat turns sour when Rarity learns that the establishment is a little too “down to earth”! How will this resourceful pony make the best out of this “rustic” situation? Read on to find out!" Category:Comics